White Wedding
by Shortgirl007
Summary: Sequel to my story, Eleven Days Later.


White Wedding

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Sequel To Eleven Days Later

Chapter 1

"I know I'm being a baby." Stephanie whined.

"It's what you do best babe." Ranger said across his shoulder as he finished packing his duffel bag.

"Hey!" Stephanie yelled in response while tossing one of the pillows from the bed across the room at Ranger. Then smiling when it made a _'whoosh' _sound as it flattened against his back.

Ranger laughed then turned around to face his fiancé, who was still sprawled lazily across the bed. He took two steps forward then dropped one knee on the mattress to hover above her.

"You know I'd stay if I could." He said seconds before brushing his lips across the skin below her ear.

"I know you would. I just hate that you've been having to go out of town so much lately. It seems like now that we're engaged I see you even less than before." She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him in closer.

Ranger pulled back to meet her eyes. "I promise as soon as the sale-outs of Atlanta and Chicago are closed I'll be around so much you'll get tired of me."

Stephanie laughed. "Yeah, like that could happen."

Ranger leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I promise I'll make the trip as fast as possible. As long as the paperwork is in order I should be back in three days tops."

Stephanie sighed then tried to smile. "I can handle three days I suppose."

Ranger reached up and grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I have no doubt. You have both my and Tank's numbers. Call me whenever the loneliness is too much to bare."

"Smartass." She said as she slapped his back.

Just as there mouths clamped against each other, the intercom beside the bed beeped.

"Tank." Ranger mumbled as he pulled breathlessly away. "Yeah?" He said into the intercom.

"I'm in the garage. Are you ready?" Tank said.

"Yeah. I'll be there in five." Ranger said.

"Is Steph there?" Tank asked.

"Yeah."

"See you in ten then." Tank laughed.

Ranger rose from the bed and shook his head. "I've lost all control of my men."

Stephanie snorted. "Hardly. I know for a fact that Hal still thinks you're scarier than the boogieman."

"Oh yeah?" Ranger said, suddenly standing a little straighter.

"Yup. He told me that just the other day. But don't worry, I told him you were just a big ole pussycat." She teased.

"Babe." Ranger said, unsure if she was being serious.

Stephanie slid from the bed and wrapped the sheet around her body. She followed him to the door and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him goodbye. "Be safe. I love you." She said between kisses.

"I will. Don't get too crazy babe." He said, then swept from the room leaving her all alone.

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Stephanie was busy shoving knick-knacks in a box when her cell phone chirped.

"Hello."

"What are you wearing?" Ranger's thick voice said into the receiver.

"Um. Hello Ranger dear. This is Helen, I imagine you were hoping for Stephanie instead of me." Mrs. Plum said into Steph's cell phone as she handed it off to her daughter.

"Ric?" Stephanie said.

Silence.

Steph frowned and tried again. "Ranger, are you there?"

"Yeah babe." Ranger said weakly into the phone.

"Are you ok, what did you just say to my mom? She turned about twelve shades of red."

"I think I just asked her what she was wearing."

Stephanie let out a snort of laughter and nearly dropped the picture frame she was trying to pack. "Well, if you must know, she's wearing a pair of jeans and a peach colored blouse."

"Not funny." Ranger grunted.

"Actually it is." Steph replied.

"Shall I call my mother up and send her over to help you ladies pack up your apartment?" Ranger offered after regaining his composure.

"Don't you dare!" Stephanie yelled.

"Then be nice to me babe."

"I'm always nice to you." She teased.

Ranger sighed. "Yeah, you are. I miss you."

"I miss you too. How was your flight?"

"Not bad and actually things are going better than planned. That's why I called. It looks like I might get to cut the trip short. There's a chance I'll be back tomorrow."

"Really?" Stephanie nearly squealed.

"Yup. The lawyers had everything waiting for us. The bank's already closed so we have to wait until tomorrow for the transfers to be processed but once I get the ok, then I can be on my way back home. And speaking of home, how's the packing coming along?"

"Great actually. Just a few more boxes in the kitchen and it'll be all packed up. Hal and Lester told me to call when I was ready and they're going to help us haul everything over to the apartment."

Ranger lowered his voice. "You're going to be living with me babe."

Stephanie giggled like a school girl. "Yes I am."

"There are some fringe benefits that come with that you know?"

"Oh really? Like what?" Stephanie teased.

But before Ranger could answer she heard Tank yell for him in the background. "Gotta go babe. I'll call you tonight."

"Ok Ric."

"Love you babe."

"Love you too."

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Several hours later Stephanie was finally able to crawl into bed. It had taken them all evening to get all the boxes brought over to the Rangeman building. But by 10 that evening she had officially moved out of her apartment and moved in with Ranger.

She was just snuggling under the covers when the phone rang.

"'lo?" She said sleepily.

"Did I wake you?"

Stephanie smiled at the sound of his voice. "Nope, just trying to get comfortable."

"Thought you liked my bed?" He asked.

"I love your bed. But I love it even more when you're in it. I think you've spoiled me. I can barely sleep when I'm alone now."

"Stephanie Plum, unable to sleep? That's unheard of." Ranger laughed.

"Haha. But it's true. I just can't get to sleep without having you to snuggle with."

"That's oddly flattering babe."

"It was meant to be. Face it Manaso. I like you."

"Good. Cause I like you too. I've got good news. Looks like you're only going have to sleep alone one night this time. I should be home tomorrow evening."

Stephanie yawned. "Perfect." She said, her voice fading quickly.

"Go to sleep babe. I'll be home soon."

"Ok" was the last thing that slipped from her lips as she fell into sleep.

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It was 15 minutes after 7 and Ranger was going to be arriving home any minute. Stephanie had worked her butt off all day to get the apartment just like she wanted. She combined a few of her things with a few of his things and the result was a harmony of both of their stuff.

After weeks of her touches here and there the apartment was finally starting to feel like home to her. She had always loved his place but it had always felt too sterile and too stuffy for her to be really comfortable. But now, as she looked around the room she smiled. "Just right." She said aloud.

She plopped down on the couch to wait for Ranger, insisting to herself that she was only resting her eyes.

Thirty minutes later she woke to the feel of a warm, wet tongue licking the side of her head and the weight of something sitting on her chest. It took a few seconds for her eyes to focus, but once they did she found herself looking directly into the face of the cutest puppy she had ever seen. It was a tiny, wrinkled covered thing that squirmed and wiggled on her chest. It's hair was the color of coffee with just the right amount of cream added in. The rolls of fat curled around it's nose and feet and she quickly determined that it was a Boxer."

"Awwwwww." She said.

When she focused a little further, she spotted Ranger leaning over the back of the couch watching her.

"What do you think?" he said.

"I think it's the cutest puppy I've ever seen but where did it come from?" she said as she watched the puppy paw at her shirt.

Ranger walked around the couch and sat down beside her. "Just a little something I brought back with me from Chicago. I thought he could keep you company when I was out of town."

Stephanie looked at him and was floored by the amount of love she could still feel for him. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." She said as her eyes became misty.

Ranger slide closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Speaking of sweet things, I like what you've done to the apartment."

"Really?" Stephanie asked.

"I really do. It looks like you babe. How could I not love it?"

He leaned in and gave her nose a quick peck. "So what are you going to name him?"

Stephanie grabbed the puppy and held him up in front of them. She turned him from side to side and inspected him thoroughly.

"Duc. I think I'm going to call him Duc, you know after the bike you gave me. What do you think?" She said.

Across the room the phone began ringing. Ranger leaned over and kissed her neck. "I think Duc is a great name." He said before rising off the couch to answer the phone.

Stephanie continued to play with the puppy while she listened to Ranger on the phone.

"This Saturday? I.. I don't know. I think we have plans." He paused to listen the finally sighed and answered. "Ok. We'll see you at 3:00."

Noticing that he had paled a few shades Steph asked, "Who was that?"

Ranger rejoined her on the couch and pulled her close to him. "That was my mother. It seems she somehow managed to get your mother's number and now we're having a family cookout on Saturday."

"Oh. So a cookout with just your family." Stephanie said hopefully.

Ranger hugged her tighter and said, "No babe. Your family is invited too. It looks like the Plum and Manaso families are finally meeting on Saturday."

"Shit." Steph said as she let the puppy crawl across her lap.

To Be Continued…


End file.
